Johnny Handsome
by Walter Hill
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Elizabeth McGovern, Ellen Barkin, Forest Whitaker, Mickey Rourke, Morgan FreemanDirector: Walter Hill
Brand: LION'S GATE ENTERTAINMENT
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
Movie Reviews of Johnny Handsome
Movie Review: Good 80s Film-Noir
Summary: 4 Stars
Based on The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome by John Godey, this 1989 film stars 2008's comeback kid Mickey Rourke as a disfigured crook given a chance get revenge on the people who killed his friend.
Rourke plays John Sedley, who looks not unlike Rocky Dennis from Mask (Director's Cut, Widescreen) and Rourke's Sin City character Marv. Disfigured and with a speech impediment, Johnny helps his friend Mikey (Scott Wilson) with a heist. Soon, Mikey is dead and Johnny's in jail, while killers Rafe (Lance Henriksen) and Sunny (Ellen Barkin) get away with the money. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, Johnny is offered a new face and a new identity by Dr. Steven Resher (Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker). When his surgery is complete, Johnny gets a job at a shipyard and begins planning a new heist...And his revenge.
Morgan Freeman co-stars as Lieutenant Drones, a hardboiled cop waiting for Johnny to slip up.
This is a fine piece of 80s film-noir with a terrific performance courtesy of the films leading man. Rourke hits all the right notes with this character; tough, angry, troubled. He even brings some pathos to his role and plays the part with a speech impediment that never seems forced. One particular scene featuring a fine piece of acting is when Johnny tells Dr. Resher his "Halloween" story. The acting bit was surprisingly affecting.
Whitaker is also very good in his small role and Barkin plays the skanky, double-crossing Sunny very well. Freeman, so good at playing the nice guy, steps out of type to play the untrusting Lt. Drones. Freeman gives his character a pulp feel (note: may have more to do with the writing) that compliments the rest of the film nicely. Henriksen's Rafe is a Billy Idol-lookalike and really isn't anything new as far as 80s tough-guy villains go.
The biggest problem with Johnny Handsome has is the 80s feel; its sort of cheap, shoddy look. It's not a timeless movie, but the 80s look DOES give it a more noir-ish feel. Johnny Handsome is film noir, make no mistake about it. Director of photography, Matthew F. Leonetti likes smoky nightclubs and motel rooms and the score alternates between jazzy and noir-esque to (unfortunately) synthesized and 80s. It doesn't hold up next to an 80s-noir like Body Heat (Deluxe Edition), but it's certainly better than recent retro-noir like The Black Dahlia (Widescreen Edition).
It's worth noting to keep people from being mislead; this is not an action-packed film rather, it's a film that concentrates more on characters, dialogue, and plot. Some may find it dull in spots and I certainly did. It's a slow build-up, but one that passes the time.
GRADE: B
NOTE ABOUT THE DVD: Bare-bones disc has no special features and no subtitles of any sort. Rather disappointing.
Summary of Johnny Handsome
Mickey Rourke stars as the main character John Sedley in this high-energy action movie, directed by Walter Hill ("Red Heat," "48HRS."). Johnny was born severely deformed and makes his living as a small time criminal. During a robbery, he and his best friend Mikey are double-crossed by their partners. Mikey is shot and killed, and John takes the rap for the robbery and goes to prison. There, thanks to a sympathetic surgeon, he receives a new face. Finally John is released on parole. Seeking revenge, he makes a daring and desperate gamble to get even in this electrifying tale of intrigue and betrayal.Action & Adventure DVD Video
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